


The Fool

by Diary



Category: Scandal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Season/Series 05, Awkward Conversations, Bechdel Test Fail, Bottle Episode Fic, Canon Gay Character, Canon Queer Character, Coffee, Coffee Shop, Gen, M/M, Post-Season/Series 04 AU, Pre-Episode AU: s05e19 Buckle Up, Sex Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 23:24:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6829651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Personally, I’m okay with how things are right now. Cyrus wants back in the White House, though. You’re sleeping with him, and I’m living with him." Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fool

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Scandal.

Michael sits down across from Tom.

Tom pushes a cup of coffee over.

“Thank you.” Michael takes a sip. “I’m just going to jump right in: What do you want?”

“With Cyrus?”

“With Cyrus,” Michael confirms. “I’ve dealt with people like you before. You never put everything out there. Well, I- don’t think I can afford that luxury right now. I want Ella. I don’t mean that I want to take her away from him. He is her father, and so was James Novak. But so am I. And frankly, I’m better at it than he’ll ever be. When our contract is up, whatever he wants, my price is going to be that I always stay a part of her life. If I have to, I’ll fight dirty, and our methods might be different, but I think you recognise that that isn’t just talk on my part.”

“I do,” Tom agrees.

“So. What do you want?”

Tom sips his own coffee. Finally, he asks, “Would you believe me if I said I already had it?”

“Is that the truth?”

After a moment of hesitation, Tom answers, “Yes.”

Michael studies him for a long moment. “We’re not going to accomplish anything if you don’t give a little more. Personally, I’m okay with how things are right now. Cyrus wants back in the White House, though. You’re sleeping with him, and I’m living with him. There’s a little girl involved. I want to make sure everything stays okay for all three of us so that I can make sure Ella continues to be happy and secure.”

Abruptly, Tom asks, “Do you want him in your bed?”

Making a small noise of amusement, Michael shakes his head. “‘Want’ isn’t the word. If he wanted that, I’d be happy to give it to him. He wasn’t bad, and some of what we did was really fun. But it’s not anything I’m missing. Were you genuinely curious, or are you jealous?”

“I’m not sure you’d understand,” Tom quietly says. Looking down at his coffee, he continues, “Or maybe you would, but I’m not sure how to explain it.”

“Do you want more than sex? How much more?”

Looking back up, Tom says, “I don’t believe in marriage, and I wouldn’t like to live in a house with a child. I don’t want what you have.”

“Okay,” Michael says. He takes a small drink. “That’s honest. A little bit of progress.”

Tom drinks his coffee and scans the room while Michael watches him.

“What’s it like? You and him? Unless he hid it well, and setting aside the retrospective answer, why would he, I know he doesn’t have any kinks. He usually liked it slow. Whatever his reason, one thing he and I shared was we both preferred the lights on.”

“I guess the same,” Tom answers.

Leaning back, Michael patiently waits for Tom to meet his eyes.

“Oh,” he says. “There’s a certain amount of disconnection on his part, isn’t there? You like it, you’re happy, and you know that he enjoys it, too, but what happens when he touches you, that doesn’t happen when you touch him.”

“Yes.”

Giving him a sympathetic smile, Michael sighs. “Part of that, that’s on me. I did what I did, and me and him, we’re better than I ever expected we could be, but what I did is always going to stay with him. Then, there’s-”

“James Novak,” Tom supplies.

“Even without me in the picture, you would have still had to compete with him. I’m not saying this to be cruel. You are always going to be competing with a dead man. Until the day Cyrus dies, part of him is going to belong to James, and in every way you can touch him, you’re never going to be able to touch that place.”

“I know. I do,” Tom says.

Michael nods. “Decide if he’s worth it."

Giving him a confused look, Tom replies, “I’m sorry, what?”

Withdrawing his wallet, Michael counts out the tip. “I’m going to give you some advice. Before I do, let me make sure you understand this: Cyrus serves himself above anyone and anything. Even with James, he did. He is opportunistic, ruthless, and when he is cruel, he can be downright abusive. He has no time for anyone who isn’t somehow useful to him. That is the man you are sleeping with.”

Tom starts to say something, but Michael continues, “I’m pretty sure, in some ways, you understand this even better than I do. So, first, decide if he’s really worth- everything. Anything. Your heart, your future, anything you value. Is he worth it?”

“And if you decide he is, then, you don’t have the luxury, either. If there’s any chance of your touch doing to him what his does to you, you’re going to have put everything out there. Put yourself completely at his mercy. And that might just be the biggest mistake you’ll ever make.”

“Doubtful,” Tom responds.

Shrugging, Michael stands up. “You say that now. Trust me, you find yourself close to doing it, and you’re going to want to cry and run. You’re going to experience terror different than any kind you’ve felt before. And if you do, do it, there might be some relief, but the terror won’t disappear. Assuming you were right to take the risk, you’re going to feel- raw. Uncertain and doubting. It’ll take time before you feel secure again, and then, the rush, the jubilation will overwhelm you. After all that, if he decides to hurt you- well, I sincerely hope he doesn’t.”

Tom nods and looks up. “Thank you.”

Laughing slightly, Michael reaches over and clasps his shoulder. “You’re the fool in love with a fool. You do get that, don’t you?”

Before Tom can respond, Michael lets go and walks out of the café.


End file.
